Gas condensing and separating system



' 1935. A. H. BAE-iQ 2,018,594

GAS CQNDENSING AND SEPARATING SYSTEM Filed May' 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Oct. 22, 1935. I BAER 2,018,594

GAS CONDENSING AND SEPARATING SYSTEM Filed May 1, 19:54 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES GAS CONDENSISNG AND SEPARATINGYSTEM Alvin H. Baer, Carbondale, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, toWorthington Pump and Machinery Corporation, Harrison, N. 3., acorporation 'of Virginia Application May 1, 1934, Serial No. 723,421

10 Claims.

' such use. It is an object of the invention to provide mechanism ofsimple and eflicient character which shall be adapted for continuousoperation and which shall be substantially automatic in all itsfunctions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of thecharacter described, wherein there is included means for compensatingautomatically for variations in the temperature of the cooling mediumutilized, at least to the extent of compensating for variations due tochanges ,of weather, changes of temperature between day and night orthe'days of the season, etc.

A further object of my invention is to provide in such a system meansfor compensating for major variations of temperature as between summerand winter.

Still another object of the. invention is to provide a continuousliquefying process in which variations in the rate of gas supply areautomatically compensated.

Referring to the drawings, which are made a part of this application andin which similar reference characters indicate similar parts:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the essential parts of a system of thecharacter described, and

Fig. 2, a diagrammatic view in elevation showing certain parts on alarger scale.

In the drawings, reference character l0 indicates fermenting vats whichmay be of any desired character, such as used in breweries,distilleries, etc. The vats are shown as provided with specialcollecting covers each consisting of a fixed part II and a movable partl2 connected to part II by hinges l3. Branch pipes Hllead'fromthe vatslfl to a pipe l5 and it will be understood that any desirable number offermenting vats may be thus connected to a delivery pipe l5.

The delivery pipe l5 connects the vats to a multi-stage gas compressorindicated generally at 16, which compressor draws the gas from thefermenting vats, compresses it and delivers the compressed materialthrough a pipe It to acooler-condenser embodying a plurality of pipes Hwhich are connected in series by pipes l8. It will be understood thatthe compressor draws from the fermenting vats a mixture of carbondioxide, water vapor, air, etc., the percentage of the variousconstituent gases varying according to conditions in the vats. If thereis more than one vat fermentation will begin at different PQ! riods inthe different vats and thus will provide a leveling effect to a certainextent tending toward uniform suction for the compressor. Insofar as thegas resulting from fermentation is not sufficient to satisfy thesuctionof the compressor other vapors will be drawn off including water vaporand air, all of which will be compressed and forced through pipe Hi tothe cooler-compressor.

In addition to pipes l1 and I8 the cooler-conl0 denser includes meansfor cooling the mixture of gas passing downward in a tortuous paththrough pipes I1 and I8. Such means in the form here illustratedcomprises a bent pipe I9 by means of which a current of cooling mediumcan 15 be passed through the pipe II, this current being preferably in a.direction counter to the flow of the mixture of gases.

The lowermost pipe I1 is connected by a pipe 2|] to-a receiver 2| forliquid coming from the 20 cooler condenser, including liquid carbondioxide, water, etc. Underneath the receiver 2i there is provided asub-receiver 22 connected to receiver 2| by pipes 23 and this providesfor fractional separation of. water or other heavy liquids from 25 theliquid carbon dioxide in receiver 2|, the heavier liquids settling insub-receiver 22 and being drawn off at convenient times through apassage controlled by valve 24. The accumulated liquid carbon dioxidemay be drawn oil at con- 80 venient periods through a pipe 25 controlledby a manual valve 26 and may be lead to a point where cylinders 21 canbe filled with the liquid.

In the operation of the cooler-condenser noncondensible gases will beforced into the upper part of receiver 2| together with some carbondioxide or other readily condensible gases which have not yet beencondensed and such non-condensed gases are led off through pipe 28 to asuper-cooler 29, the pipe 28 extending some dis-' tance up into theinterior of the super-cooler as indicated in Fig. 2 so as to carry thegases above the liquid level in the casing of the super-cooler.

The super-cooler 29 comprises an outer shell with-heads 30 in which aremounted a set of pipes 5 3 I The ends of the casing may be closed bycaps 32, 33 and the cap at the right-hand end has a partition 34dividing it into two compartments.

A pipe 35 leads outward from the casing, said pipe providing means foregress of non-condensible gas. Such egress is controlled by a valve 36which is open at all times when the system is working and is furthercontrolled by a springpressed valve 31, which valve is also providedwith means for adjusting its pressure, so as to i compressor 16, withcorrespond to a predetermined pressure at which it is desired that theuncondensed gas shall be released. A pipe 40 leads from the lower partof the casing of the super-cooler to a point below the normal liquidlevel in the receiver 2|, this being for returning to the receiver suchliquid as is condensed in the super-cooler. The cooling means previouslyalluded to includes a pipe 42 for introducing a cooling medium into thesystem, e. g., cold water. A valve 43 controls the inlet through thispipe to the upper compartment in cap 32 from which the water flowsthrough the upper set of pipes 3| to the hollow cap 33, then backthrough the lower set of pipes 3| to the lower compartment out of thesystem (or the illustrated portion of the system) by way of a pipe 45.In emergencies the valve 43 may be closed and cold water caused to flowdirectly from pipe 42 into pipe 44 by opening a valve 46 ina branch pipe41.

Egress of water from the cooling pipes is controlled by apressure-responsive valve 48 movable toward elosed position by a spring49, the pressure of which is adjustable as by means of a pipe 50communicating cooler 29 and having a valve 5| for admitting more or lesspressure for acting on the spring 49. The egress of water is furthercontrolled by the temperature of the water at or near the point ofdischarge, said means comprising a thermostat 52 of any desiredconstruction arranged to closea circuit at 53 and thus to energize anelectromagnet 54 which opens a valve in the valve casing 55 interposedbetween parts of pipe 45.

In the operation of my device, carbon dioxide gas is drawn through thesuction pipe I5 by the other gases as above stated; all of which arecompressed and forced through pipe IE to the double-pipe condensersection of the condenser-cooler where they pass through the spacesbetween concentric pipes and the carbon dioxide gas will nearly all beliquefied, passing now to the receiver 2| 5 together with water, air,water vapor, etc. The heavier liquids will accumulate in thesub-receiver by stratification and the non-condensed gases-will pass tothe supercooler for further treatmentfas above set-forth.

It will be evident that the pressure developed by the compressor in themixture of CO2 gas, air, water vapor, etc., must be such as to causeliquefaction of at least the greater part of the more liquefiableingredients of the mixture when the same is at the temperature producedby the counter current of cooling liquid in the pipes of thecooler-condenser, this temperature being substantially that of the waterat the point where it leaves the cooler-condenser, through pipe 45. Ifwater is used as the cooling medium in the cooler-condenser (water beinga cheap and readily available cooling medium and therefore in common'use) there will ordinarily be variations in the temperature of thewater as between the temperature by day and by night, and alsovariations from day to day during a season, as well as the usualseasonal variations. Lower temperature of the cooling liquid will causeliquefaction to take place at lower pressure, while higher temperatureof the cooling medium will require higher pressure to produceliquefaction, and even such changes of temperature as occur during aday, or

between night and day, will change quite materially the amount ofpressure required for liquefaction. In order to operate properly andefilciently such a system as that herein disclosed of cap 32, thenthrough a pipe 44 to the tortuous pipe I 9 and with the interior of thesuperwhich the operator can determine in advance a higher liquefyingpressure than any which the variable water temperature for a given partof a season would create. Having determined this artificial pressure,the operator adjusts relief valve 31 to release air and non-condensiblegases to the atmosphere at the artificial pressure determined; valve 36of courseis open at all times when the system is working. The operatorthen adjusts control valve 48 so that the fiow of water through pipe 45,the tubes 3| of the super-cooler pipe 44, pipes IQ of thecooler-condenser and outlet pipe 45 will be throttled sufliciently tocause the water to be heated in passing through the super-cooler 29 andthe cooler-condenser to such a point that the liquefying pressure willbe substantially equal to, but less than the artificial pressure forwhich valve 31 is adjusted.

It will be seen that when the air and noncondensible gases pass intosuper-cooler 29, they meet the colder surface of the tubes through whichthe water supply first passes, and if any of the CO2 gas hasbeen carriedalong, it will be liquefied at this point and drained back to thereceiver 2| through the small vertical pipe 40, which is attached to theunderside of supercooler 29 and passes through, and some distance into,the interior of receiver 2|. At the same time, the gases that will notcondense gradually fill super-cooler 29, also the upper portion ofreceiver 2|, and begin to occupy a small part of the space between thepipes l1 and IQ of the cooler-condenser. Having less effective surfacefor liquefying, a slightly increased pressure resuits and some of theair and non-condensible gases are thus pushed through valve 31.

Thus a continuous operation of the entire system with substantiallyautomatic control of its functions is secured. The compressor continuesto draw from the fermenting vats regardless of the uniformity offermentation. The apparatus continues to function as a liquefier andseparator of the CO2 from the other elements. The release of the otherelements to the atmosphere and to the sub-receiver 22 is also automatic.In like manner, variations in the temperature of water supply, due tochanges of weather and otherwise, are automatically compensated. Widevariations of water supply resulting from seasonable changes areprovided for by periodically changing the adjustment of valve 31 and ofvalve 48 to be in accord therewith.

It will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that many alterations maybe made in the system herein disclosed and that it may be used for otherpurposes; therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in thedrawings and described in the specification but only as indicated inthe' appended claims.

It is within the contemplation of my invention pressure-responsive meanstions where control is especially diflicult will both be used, as shownin Fig. 2.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A condensing and separating system for carbon dioxide and the likecomprising a coolercondenser, a gas inlet therefor, a super-cooler abovethecondenser, means for supplying cooling liquid to the super-cooler andthence to the condenser, means below the condenser for receiving theproducts of condensation and for separating heavy liquids andnon-condensed gases from the condensed carbon dioxide, means for leadingthe non-condensed gases to the supercooler, .an adjustablepressure-responsive valve for releasing gas from the super-cooler, anadjustable pressure-responsive valve controlling thedischarge of coolingliquid from the condenser, a magnetic valve also adapted to control suchdischarge, and thermostatic means for controlling said magnetic valve,said thermostatic means being governed by the temperature of the coolingliquid about to be discharged.

2. In a system for recovery of a liquefiable gas from a mixture ofgases, a condenser, said condenser including means for cooling themixture by a current of cooling medium, a super-cooler, means forseparating the condensed liquid from the remaining gases, means forleading the noncondensed gases to the super-cooler for furtherseparation of gas to be recovered, means for setting the escape pressureof non-condensed gas at a relatively high point, andmeans forthrottling' the discharge of cooling medium to bring the liquefyingpressure nearly up to such escape pressure.

3 In a system for recovery of a liqueflable gas from a mixture of gases,a condenser, said condenser including means for cooling the mixture by acurrent of cooling medium, means for setting the escape pressure ofnon-condensed gas at a relatively high point, and means for throttlingthe discharge of cooling medium so as to'bring the liquefying pressureapproximately up to such gas escape pressure.

4. A condensing and separating system for carbon dioxide and the likecomprising a coolercondenser, a gas inlet therefor, a super-cooler abovethe condenser, means,for supplying cooling liquid to the super-coolerand thence to the condenser, means for separating non-condensed gasesfrom the condensed liquid and for leadingthe non-condensed gases to thesuper-cooler, for releasing fixed gas from the super-cooler, and means.responsive to the temperature of the coolingliquid coming from thecondenser for controlling the discharge of liquid therefrom.

5. Acondenslng and separating system for carbon dioxide and the likecomprising a coolercondenser, means for supplying thereto a mixture ofgases under pressure,'means for supplying cooling liquid to thecondenser, means for separating the condensed liquid from non-con-,densible gas, pressure-responsive means for releasing thenon-condensible gas, and means for controlling the discharge of coolingliquid from of the cooling fluid said condenser, said means beinggoverned by the temperature of such liquid adjacentthe point ofdischarge. i

6. A condensing and separating system for carbon dioxide and the likecomprising a condenser, a gas inlet therefor, means for supplyingcooling liquid to the condenser, means for separating the condensedliquid from non-condensiblegas, pressure-responsive means for releasingthe non-condensible gas, I means for controlling the discharge ofcooling liquid from the condenser, and auxiliary controlling meansgoverned by the temperature of said liquid adjacent the discharge point.

7. A system for condensing gases comprising a cooler-condenser, a gasinlet therefor, a supercooler, means for supplying cooling liquid to thesuper-cooler and thence to the cooler-condenser, means for leadingnon-condensed gases from the cooler-condenser to the super-cooler, meansfor collecting condensed liquid from the cooler-condenser and thesuper-cooler, and means for varying the rate of flow of cooling liquidthrough the system in accordance with variations in the temperature ofsuch liquid at the point of discharge from the system. D

8. A system for condensing gases comprising a cooler-condenser, agas'inlet therefor, a super- "cooler, means for supplying cooling liquidto the super-cooler and thence to the cooler-condenser, means forleading non-condensed gases from the cooler condenser to thesuper-cooler, means for collecting condensed liquid from thecooler-condenser and the super-cooler, means for varying the rate offlow of cooling liquid through the system in accordance with variationsin the temperature of such liquid at the point of dischargepressure-controlled from the system, and pressure-responsive means fordischarging non-condensible gases from the super-cooler.

9. A condensing and separating system for carbon dioxide and the likecomprising a condenser, a super-cooler, means for supplying a mixture ofgases under pressure to the condenser, collecting means for condensedliquid, means for supplying cooling fluid to the super-cooler and thenceto the condenser, means for leading noncondensed gas from the condenserto the supercooler, and means responsive to the temperature at thedischarge side of the condenser and to the pressure of gas in thesysii'liem for controlling the discharge of the cooling uid.

10. A condensing and separating system for carbon dioxide and the likecomprising a coolercondenser, a gas inlet therefor, a super-cooler,means for supplying cooling liquid to the supercooler and thence to thecooler-condenser,'means for leading non-condensed gases from thecoolercondenser to the super-cooler, pressure-responsive means forreleasing non-condensible gas from the super-cooler, pressure-responsivemeans controlling the discharge of cooling liquid from the system, andadditional controlling means for such discharge, said additional meansbeing govemed by the temperature of the cooling liquid about tobedischarged.

ALVIN H. BAER.

